Pulpo a la Gallega: Traditional Galician Octopus with Potatoes
shared by Nibblore Español
Pulpo a la gallega pairs tender slices of octopus with creamy potatoes, paprika and good extra virgin olive oil. Cooking the potatoes in the octopus broth gives them extra flavour, while cutting the tentacles just before serving helps preserve their texture. This classic Galician appetiser is ideal for sharing and best enjoyed warm. • Previously frozen octopus cooks more tender because freezing breaks down some of its fibres; thaw it in the fridge for 24 hours. • Keep the water at a bare simmer: vigorous boiling can loosen the skin before the flesh becomes tender. • Add the paprika immediately before the oil so it spreads evenly without forming dry clumps. • Exact cooking time depends on the thickness of the octopus, so the skewer test is more reliable than the clock. • Replace the sweet and hot paprika with the same total amount of bittersweet pimentón de la Vera for a lightly smoky flavour. • If whole octopus is unavailable, use the same weight of thawed raw octopus tentacles and begin checking for tenderness after 30 minutes. • You can use well-scrubbed, thin-skinned baby potatoes cut into slices without peeling them. Store the octopus and potatoes separately in airtight containers in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat both, covered, in a steamer or microwave on medium power until warm, then add the paprika, salt and olive oil. Freezing the potatoes is not recommended, but the cooked octopus can be frozen for up to 1 month.
- Total time
- 70 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
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Save recipeIngredients
- 1 ½ kgwhole cleaned octopus, previously frozen and thawed
- 2 ½ lwater, or enough to cover the octopus
- 1bay leaf
- 750 gfloury potatoes, peeled and cut into 1.5 cm slices
- 1 ½ tspcoarse salt, plus a pinch for the potato water
- 2 tspsweet paprika
- ¼ tsphot paprika, optional
- 75 mlextra virgin olive oil
Instructions
- 1Bring 2.5 litres of water and the bay leaf to the boil in a tall 6-litre pot without adding salt. Hold the octopus by the head and dip the tentacles into the water for 5 seconds, then lift them out; repeat twice more so they curl evenly.
- 2Lower the octopus fully into the pot and wait for the water to return to a gentle simmer. Reduce the heat, partially cover and cook for 35 to 45 minutes, avoiding a vigorous boil. From 35 minutes onwards, test the thickest part of a tentacle with a skewer: it should slide in with little resistance, but the flesh should not fall apart.
- 3Turn off the heat and leave the octopus in the cooking water for 10 minutes. Remove it with tongs, drain and keep it warm under a loose cover. Reserve 1.5 litres of the cooking liquid and discard the bay leaf.
- 4Return the reserved liquid to the pot and add a pinch of salt. Add the potato slices, bring to a moderate boil and cook for 12 to 16 minutes, until a thin knife passes through them without breaking them apart. Drain well and leave to steam-dry for 2 minutes.
- 5Arrange the hot potatoes on a wooden or ceramic serving platter about 30 cm wide. Use kitchen scissors to cut the tentacles into 1 cm slices and the head into small pieces, then arrange the octopus over the potatoes.
- 6Combine the sweet paprika with the hot paprika, if using. Sprinkle the octopus first with the coarse salt and then with the paprika mixture. Drizzle evenly with the olive oil and serve immediately while still warm.